Friday, January 27 2006 17:40 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Protesting government's move to open up retail trade to Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Left parties today(Jan 27,2006) decided to take up with the Centre the issue and rope in retail tradebodies to launch a nationwide campaign to protest the move.

"We have decided to tell the Government in clear terms that we are opposed to FDI in retail sector and will approachand appeal to all retail trade organisations that they should launch a country-wide campaign against the move," Communist Party of India (CPI) General Secretary A B Bardhan told reporters here.

The Congress party's economic resolution adopted at its plenary in Hyderabad was silent on FDI in retail sector and underlined its commitment to strengthening retail sector.

"It is surprising that the party's resolution on economic affairs does not contain any mention of FDI in retail sector and just a day after that, the Government decides to open up the sector for FDI," he said after a meeting of Left parties.

"The Left parties will contact retail trade merchants organisations for launching a movement, if need be a strike, against the government decision. We will support them," Bardhan said.

Left sources said the parties were 'not very satisfied' with the performance of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government in political and economic fields and there was a general feeling that thegovernment was not taking them into confidence before taking major decisions.

Besides Bardhan, the meeting was attended by CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat, CPI National Secretary D Raja, Forward Bloc leaders Debabrata Biswas and G Devarajan.